Middle Ages

The Crusades were a series of holy wars fueled by two major causes: the Pope's desire to expand the Holy Roman Empire and the reclamation of the Holy Land. In the 11th century, Christians and Muslims were at odds over the ownership of Jerusalem, a holy site for both Christianity and Islam.

A:The Crusades were a series of holy wars fueled by two major causes: the Pope's desire to expand the Holy Roman Empire and the reclamation of the Holy Land. In the 11th century, Christians and Muslims were at odds over the ownership of Jerusalem, a holy site for both Christianity and Islam.

A:Ancient Egyptians invented the sword during the Bronze Age. Other cultures soon adopted swords, and they became popular. The sword evolved from the dagger and was made of arsenic copper or tin bronze. The sword symbolized liberty and faith and was said to be the emblem for military honor.

A:The Vikings invented the longboat during the Vikings Age from 800 to 1100 A.D. This type of ship helped them travel the oceans to reach France, England, Scotland, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Vinland and the Middle East. Thus, they became a dominant force in European medieval trade, politics and warfare.

A:A female emperor is properly termed an empress or an empress regnant. Emperors and empresses reign over empires and are generally conceded to outrank kings. Reigning empresses rarely conquer their own territories but instead inherit from a husband or father.

A:Medieval knights were the professional warrior class of Europe, responsible for defending their feudal lord's territory from rival lords and keeping the local serfdom in line with the lord's rule. Knights were frequently members of the noble class, with the title inherited through the father, but it was also a title granted as a reward for chivalrous deeds. In the late medieval period, noble and warrior classes became more static.

A:King Henry VIII created the Church of England in 1536 as a result of a dispute with the pope, who would not permit Henry to get a divorce from his wife and marry his long-time mistress. Henry's marital history started under a cloud of suspicion, as his marriage to Catherine of Aragon meant he was forming a union with his brother's widow. Whether his series of divorces was actually the result of his failure to produce a male heir or some other form of instability is a matter of some dispute, but the reason for forming the Anglican Church was to give Henry the right to act as the head of his own church and marry as he pleased.

A:Between 1328 and 1351, the bubonic plague, commonly known as the Black Death, killed approximately one third of the population of Europe. The widespread nature of the disease, along with its horrific symptoms, inspired Europeans to go to any lengths to avoid it.

A:There is no definitive account of Ghengis Khan's height. Descriptions simply describe him as tall. Tall is likely relevant, however. The average height of man during the time in which Ghengis Khan lived was just under 5 foot 7 inches, so anyone taller than this average could be considered tall.

A:The roles of a king during Medieval Europe included land ownership, warfare leadership and lawmaker. A king allowed knights, barons and lords to live on his land, as long as they provided armies of men to fight wars. When kings fought neighboring kingdoms, he led his men into battle. Kings were supreme rulers of their lands, and they meted out justice as they saw fit.

A:The term known as the Middle Ages is synonymous with the Dark Ages for several reasons as the period between 500-1500 A.D. included political turmoil, social unrest and the spread of disease. The Middle Ages brought great change to Europe in many respects, including social mobility, politics and the way of life. Some changes proved beneficial, but the time period experienced negative effects from the change too.

A:Negative effects of the Crusades included the repeated defeats of the Christian armies, the slaughter of innocents and the looting of Constantinople. The destruction of Constantinople severed any hope of mending the East-West schism in Christianity, and this event left the Byzantine Empire vulnerable to the Ottoman Empire.

A:The exact number of people who died during the construction of the Great Wall of China is unknown; however, it is estimated that up to 1,000,000 people lost their lives. Over 2000 years ago, Emperor Qin commanded the original construction of the Great Wall of China.

A:Mansa Musa assumed the position of ruler of Mali during the 14th century, and later embarked on a journey to Mecca, becoming the first African ruler to do so. Mansa Musa was born in 1280 A.D., and died in 1337. His life achievements included promoting the Muslim religion, and supporting unprecedented growth of the arts and education.

A:King Charles VI of France was prone to bouts of insanity where, among other things, he didn’t recognize his family or thought he was made of glass. Modern doctors think he may have suffered from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

A:During the Viking Age, between the seventh and 11th centuries, Norse traders, raiders and colonists established a presence in countries as far apart as modern-day Canada and Iran. The Vikings emerged mostly from coastal communities in Norway, Denmark and Sweden to explore, and eventually settle in, most European and Mediterranean countries. They established colonies in North America and maintained a presence in Greenland that lasted nearly 500 years.

A:According to Greek mythology, the Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans in the city of Troy in Asia Minor. This is the region of modern-day Turkey. The war took place from 1194 to 1184 B.C., lasting nearly 10 years.

A:The crusades were ultimately won in the East by the Muslims when the Bahri Mamluks conquered Acre in 1291. While crusades were mounted even after this point, political witch-hunts mounted against the Knights Templar by King Philip IV of France made further major crusades in the Levant impractical.